His school career was a great success. Many admired, not a few envied, nobody liked him; but as a master said--"He likes himself enough to make up for that." An extremely good-looking boy, full of self-confidence, he was an unusually fine athlete, played racquets for the school, and notched a century against Eton at Lords in a style that made men talk of F. S. Jackson at his best. His mother was presentable and dressed extremely well. Young Royal had no objection to being seen about with her, and even invited her down to Speech-day and introduced her to his friends at Lords. It was not to be wondered at that when she died she left the whole of the £25,000 to her only-born. Hildebrand bore this second bereavement with characteristic fortitude. He was just at the age when the possession of money was rare as it was useful. He passed high into Sandhurst, and became an Under-Officer. His record there as an athlete, his bit of money, and the use he made of it, enabled him to secure a commission in the coveted Hammer-men. He joined the Regiment with a considerable and deserved reputation, which he more than maintained. He was not popular with his brother-officers, who said quietly among themselves that he was not a Sahib; while Conky Joe went so far as to assert that he was not even a "white man"; but he was an asset to the Regiment and accepted as such. Now he had come home on six months' leave with two objects in view. He meant to work for the Staff College--and there were few more ambitious men; and he meant to enjoy himself. When he returned to England, there was no question where he would settle down. He knew all about the Hohenzollern, and indeed would boast to his few intimates--and he was fond of boasting--that Madame was an old friend of his, and that he had paid his first visit to the Third Floor when still at Harrow. Beachbourne indeed suited him very well. It possessed a first-rate crammer; if he wanted Society there was the Club at the West-end, full always of Service men retired or on leave; and he could get as much golf and cricket as he liked. A terrific worker, he would have no distractions: for he knew very few people socially. There would be no country-house invitations for him; nor did he court them. When he had passed through the Staff College and settled down in London for a spell at the War Office he knew very well that doors, now shut to him, would open. There was no hurry about that. He didn't mean to marry yet: he meant to enjoy himself. In a word, Captain Royal was an adventurer of a kind by no means uncommon in our day. A Tory in his opinions and his prejudices he lacked the one thing that can make a Tory admirable, and that is Tradition.